This week I read the book Everything Sad is Untrue and I found the character of Daniel so endearing. He reminded me of many of the young students that I have had in my middle school book clubs. I truly enjoyed selecting books for him.
Stargirl, Jerry Spinelli
Daniel is a sensitive boy and many of his stories center around love and relationship and he has a crush on a girl in his class. I feel that he would enjoy a book like Stargirl because he himself is different, just like Stargirl. She wasn’t appreciated for her free spirit and uniqueness and at the end of the story everyone learned the hard lesson of having let a truly unique and valuable friend go. Perhaps Daniel would see himself as that special and unique person that should be celebrated.
Holes, Louis Sachar
Daniel is like most kids his age, with fart and butt jokes and dust-ups with other boys. Holes is a book that appeals to the average kid and despite Daniel’s different beginnings, being a refugee from Iran, he is still a typical boy. I think this would be a quick read for him that he would enjoy. He might also find many other Louis Sachar books that he likes.
So many of Daniel’s stories were legends and I often thought of this book. When Daniel mentioned his stepfather being tied to a tree for days, that cinched the deal from me. OHYOS is THE book for Daniel. He could have really written it. I feel like he would appreciate writing that is much like his own. I think he would also become an even better storyteller considering the stories in OHYOS are quite bizarre, yet totally entertaining.
Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnigut
Daniel has such a great way of telling really sad, serious tales and then just ending them in a completely unemotional way. It reminded me of Vonnegut ending his tragic tales with, “and so it goes.” It’s a peculiar way to do it, but it’s humorous. I feel that Daniel and Vonnegut are kindred spirits. Daniel would enjoy reading about the historical bombing of Dresden and Vonnegut’s take on everything that happened. He would be able to relate to the horror and that would hit so forcefully and leave people responding in such different ways. Like Vonnegut, Daniel observes and studies people so I know he would enjoy this book. The absurdity in the book would really get the wheels in Daniel’s creative mind spinning too.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie
The author is not well-liked in the literary world because of his reputation for being a sexual predator, but I will put that aside and choose this book for Daniel. It is a very funny book and Daniel would like that. It is also about the author’s life out West living on an Indian reservation. He’s an outsider like Daniel, through no fault of their own, and they both come from poor dysfunctional families. Both Junior, from the book, and Daniel are very likable underdogs and I think it would help Daniel to know he is not alone in his struggles.
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